Weigela plant named ‘SMNWFMS’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Weigela  plant named ‘SMNWFMS’, characterized by its compact and low-mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; dark burgundy to almost black-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Weigela florida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMNWFMS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant, botanically known as Weigela florida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMNWFMS’.

The new Weigela plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact and low-mounding Weigela plants with attractive leaf and flower colors and cold hardiness.

The new Weigela plant originated from an open-pollination in May, 2009 of Weigela florida ‘Verweig’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,824, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Weigela florida, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Weigela plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. in June, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Weigela plant by softwood cuttings since June, 2011 in Grand Haven, Mich. has shown that the unique features of this new Weigela plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Weigela have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMNWFMS’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMNWFMS’ as a new and distinct Weigela plant:

-   -   1. Compact and low-mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark burgundy to almost black-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Weigela differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Verweig’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Weigela are glossier than leaves         of plants of ‘Verweig’.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela and ‘Verweig’ differ in leaf color         as plants of ‘Verweig’ have green, white and red purple         variegated leaves.

Plants of the new Weigela can be compared to plants of the Weigela florida ‘Elvera’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,217. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Weigela differed primarily from plants of ‘Elvera’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Weigela were glossier than leaves         of plants of ‘Elvera’.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela had darker-colored leaves than         plants of ‘Elvera’.     -   3. Plants of the new Weigela were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Elvera’.     -   4. Plants of the new Weigela were more cold hardy than plants of         ‘Elvera’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Weigela plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Weigela plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘SMNWFMS’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘SMNWFMS’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the following description were grown during the summer in three-gallon containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Weigela production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants of the new Weigela were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. Plants were overwintered in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Weigela florida ‘SMNWFMS’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed, parent.—Weigela florida ‘Verweig’, disclosed             in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,824.         -   Male or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Weigela             florida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             months at temperatures about 27° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; compact and             low-mounding plant habit; rapid growth rate; vigorous growth             habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 15             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development; dense and bushy plant form.         -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 70 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 45 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3 cm to 4.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; woody with development.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—About 40° to 45° from vertical.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 200B.         -   Color, fully developed.—Close to 197C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.8 cm to 4 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic to oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate to acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate to attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery.         -   Luster, upper surface.—Glossy.         -   Luster, lower surface.—Slightly glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 187A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 200B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 202A; venation,             close to 160A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 200B; venation, close to 160C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; towards             the base, pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 160A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 160C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             terminal clusters of four to six flower each; flowers face             mostly upright to slightly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Weigela flower             from early to late spring in Grand Haven, Mich.; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower cluster diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower cluster height.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 3.3 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Obovate to spatulate. Color: Close to 61B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Salverform; four petals fused into a             tube with separate petal lobes. Petal lobe length: About             1.2 cm. Petal lobe width: About 9 mm. Petal lobe shape:             Roughly orbicular. Petal lobe apex: Obtuse. Petal lobe             margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 61C. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 61C; color does not fade with             development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five in a single whorl, fused;             campanulate calyx. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm.             Shape: Narrowly triangular, elongated. Apex: Acuminate.             Margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             187B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: Close to 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Five             per flower. Filament length: About 1.6 cm. Anther shape:             Narrowly oblong. Anther size: About 8 mm. Anther color:             Close to 155D. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Style             length: About 2 cm. Style color: Close to 155A and 58A.             Stigma color: Close to 160D. Ovary color: Close to 144D.             Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Weigela. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Weigela have exhibited good     tolerance to rain, wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about −31° C. to about 38° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Weigela have been     observed to be resistant to Mildew. Plants of the new Weigela have     not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens     common to Weigela plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Weigela plant named ‘SMNWFMS’ as illustrated and described. 